


"Do You Know What's Odd?

by Meleth_nin



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: As is Oracle, Gen, Tim is mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-25 19:13:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19752058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meleth_nin/pseuds/Meleth_nin
Summary: Dick and Jason say quite a few things without saying them aloud.





	"Do You Know What's Odd?

**Author's Note:**

> A string that threads through most of Dick's stories is his loneliness. I see Dick and Jason interactions are more nuanced. They have known each other at a time in their lives that no one else in the family has. There's regret and understanding from both sides. This is just a tiny glance at how they might operate with each other.

Nightwing was on the roof of one of the townhouses staking out a house opposite. He had been there for 6 hours, cataloguing all comings, goings and happenings inside. Red Hood drops down next to him in a series of dull thuds as first his boots, his holsters, and his back hit the rooftop, followed by his hood being put down. Nightwing sighs but doesn’t look away from his binoculars. He knows his brother’s landing sounds very well.

“Why are you in Gotham?”

“Tim is a tatler.”

“Tim didn’t tell me.”

“I have no interest in B’s territory, Jason. There is a Bludhaven gang in there that I have been following for sometime.”

“B didn’t send me either, Dick. O saw you here. She noticed me headed down this way and casually mentioned you.”

“Hm. Well. For what it is worth, I don’t think anything will go down today. This might be about new alliances. Bad news for the Blud if Gotham’s gangs are joining in.”

Jason points at a short gangly guy walking into the house with a cigarette in his mouth and a buddy by his side. “I know that guy. Looks like the 16th Street gang wants to power up.” Jason is looking at him. Dick can feel the uncertainty blowing outwards from Jason. He sighs, drops his shoulders, turns slightly to his side and looks at Jason. “You want to join in, be my guest.”

Jason doesn’t stop looking at him but there’s something settled in his eyes now. Dick shakes his head. 

Contrary to popular belief, Dick is not always willing to play conciliator for his family. He is more selfish now - he has learnt not to burn himself down for his family. it hurts. If he is not around, they tend to forget he exists and thinking about symbolisms just makes him exhausted. And he has a day job to go back to in a few hours.

Dick turns away, tosses a small pack of dry fruits Jason’s way and lifts the binoculars to his eyes. There is silence for a while as Jason softly munches and settles down a few feet away. Apparently he wants a closer look at the parked vehicles first.

They work silently until the party has disassembled and most gang members have left the house. Dick collects his equipment, takes out his grapple gun and turns around to Jason’s extended arm. He shakes it and smiles. Not his blinding 1,000 watt smile for the world. There is a softness that almost tugs at memories.

“Do you know what’s odd?” he asks softly with the light in his eyes banked low. Jason hesitates in the act of putting his hood back on. He lifts a shoulder in a half-shrug and shakes his head once. Dick looks at him. 

He says, “every other number” and drops off the side, leaving Jason chuckling quietly on the rooftop.


End file.
